Indicating-fuse.



R. G. COLE.

INDIGATING FIRE.

APPLICATION FILED JAILS, 1907.

908,646. V Patented J an; 5, 1909.

Attest: M2? lnvento r:

y W WA i156.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT C. COLE, or HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, Assi'cNoR TO THE JOHNS-PRATT conranr, 0F HABTF 0B1), CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT- tunicArme-rusii.

Specification of Letters Patent.

retentea an. a, 1909.

Application filed January 8, 1907. Serial No. 350,622.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT C. COLE, a citi zen of the United States, residing in Hart, ford, county of Hartford, and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Indicating-Fuses, of which the following is a full, true, and concise specification.

My invention rel-ates to indicating fuses, and more especially to improved means for indicating, at the exterior of an inclosed fuse, the condition, of the fuse-link or links therein, with the object'to produce in a positive manner a conspicuous visual indication which will be of practical and reliable value to the switch-board attendant, not requiring conjecture on his part, as to the real condition of the inclosed link, and the invention involves to-this end the features of construction and arrangement of the several .parts as will be hereinafter explained and finally pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings which form a part'of this specification, Figure 1 represents, partly in longitudinal section and partlyin side elevation, an inclosed fuse having a'shunt circuit;

-F 2 a label on a larger scale, adapted to-be' used with the fuse of Fig. 1 according to my invention; Fig. 3 a plan view of an indicating inclosed fuse of my invention with the terminal portions thereof broken away for convenience; and Fig. 4 is a perspective view of Fig. 3 with parts in section and somewhat separated from each other for sake of clearness.

- .Referring'first to Fig. 1, the main fuse: link 1 withits fuse-link terminals 2 at each. end is embedded in the usual filling contained within the fuse .casing 3' and appropriately connected to the ferrules-hwhich form the end closures of the casing, so that current may pass from ferrule t0 ferrule through the link. A fusible indicator-wire 5 of high resistance compared to that of the link 1, and connected to the ferrules by the metallic eyelets or holders 6 at each end,

constitute a shunt circuit by means of which an indication maybe brought about. This general arrangement of fuse-link and indicator-Wire is one of familiar employment in this art, and upon the passage of an excessive or dangerous current through the circuit in which the device inserted, it operates to break that circuit by the" disruption of the fuse-link 1, transferring the entire current momentarily to the shunt circuit of the wire 5, which latter by reason of its slender dimensions is likewise immediately disrupted with the evolution of heat and some gases.

In the formshown in the figure referred to the indicator-wire is partly within and partly without the casing, being threaded through fine apertures in the wall thereof.

The fuse indicatorof this invention combines with this indicator-wire, a signal de-.

vice, indicated generally by 6, attached in plain view to the exterior ofthe fuse-inclosing means, so that it normally overlies or obscures a portion of said inclosing means, in the manner of a screen. The obscured portlon of the lncloslng meanshas preferably a distinctive appearance, due either to its 1 natural color or form, or to contrast'with the appearance of the surrounding or immediately adjacent surfaces so that it forms a conspicuous target surface, indicated by 7, and the screen member 6 is of sufficient area to cover most, if not all, of the said surface, and is furthermore of thesame general ap-- pearance as-the surroundinglportions of the inclosing means,-so that the indicating apparatus is not necessarily conspicuous in its.

normal condition.

The screen 6 is held in place upon and parallel with the fuse inclosure by being formed on or attached to the'indicator-Wire,

onto a portion of it which crosses the target surface, and the end portions of the wire next'adjacent to the screen are covered up 91' inclosed by the fuse-casing or a label or by "other means which will serve in some measure to dissipate-the heat due to the passage of the current therein, with the exception,

however, of a short portion or portions of the said wire of very short length, on either side of the screen, which short portions are exposed to the atmosphere so that they will 7 retain their heat in a greater degree than the covered or end portions. The rupture of the indicator-wire is by this means induced to take effect first at one or other or both of these heat=insulated ortions, because s aid portions have less acility for imparting their heat to the surroundin material and therefore melt more rapidly the portions. The screen 15 disconnected er n the covered tached from the inclosing means by the 'rupture of the wire, and in actual practice is discharged from the target with some considerable violence, which may be attributed to the expansion'of the gases evolved by the disruption of the wire. Although thesegases are exceedingly slight in volume, by virtue of the construction described they are caused to exert such force as they have, at the edges of and behind the screen; and I desire to be understood as claiming herein the combination broadly of the indicator wire withthe screen adapted to be expelled from the target by the expansion of the gases of disruption.

In the example of the invention shown herein for illustration, the targetsurface is furnished by a slitted label or strip of paper 8, pasted to the exterior of the fuse-casing 3 and having printed upon it a circular black spot forming the target, which may be as large as circumstances may require in order for it to be sufficiently conspicuous when uncovered, and the remaining or surrounding portions of the'label or other superposed surfaces may have upon them the usual fuse ratings or other inscriptions, if desired. The indicator-wire passes through the slit or slits in the label and over an uncut portion or flap 9 thereof, which bears the target. 7, a part of the wire being therefore beneath and a part above the label, and the screen 6 which overlies the said target spot is made in whole or in part of paper with an appearance similarto the surrounding or adjacent portions of the label and with printed matter,

also, upon it if desired, so that the general effect is as thou h the screen were a part of the label. Specifically the screen is formed of two circular disks or layers of paper, glued together with the indicatorwvire between them,the united disks being of slightly less diameter than the flap 9, so that short sections of the wire (see Fig. 3) are exposed on either side of the screen above the flap for the purpose above explained. But the screen may be of other shape and size and may obviously be attached to the wire by other means than by gluing, and may, moreover, consist. in whole or in part, of other materials than paper, such for example as thin metal foiL' In Fig. 4 the parts above described are indicated in separated positions and somewhat exaggerated proportions. but their relations and their mode of assembly are clearly illustrated and will not require further description.

In the completed device as shown in Fig. 3, the label, being pasted upon the fuse casing. forms'a part of the fuse inclosing means and likewise a part of the support for the indicator-wire, but the invention is not limited to the special arrangement of the indicator-wire passing transversely through the may, therefore, be associated with the screen in other manners so long as the act of its disruption will bring about the discharge or removal of the screen and the exposureof the target or surface beneath it. The relative proportions of the indicating parts are not essential to the invention and due regard being given-to the nature of the material employed, the target and screen can be made of any desired size conformable to the size of the fuse and the conspicuousness of the indication required.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is: t

1. An indicating means for inclosed fuses, comprising a dischargeable screen normally overlying and obscuring a portion of the fuse inclosure, in combination withan indicator-wire having sufficient gas-producing capacity, upon its electrical disruption, to discharge said screen, and being located upon the fuse inclosure in a position to effect such discharge thereby.

2. A fuse indicator comprising an indicator-wire, a support therefor adapted to furnish a target surface and a screen for said surface normally supported by the wire and. adapted to be discharged from the target upon the disruption of the wire.

3. An inclosed fuse comprising a fuselink, a shunt indicating circuit therefor, and

{wall of the casing as shown, and said wire a support for the said parts provided with a target surface, in combination with a screen supported by a part of said shunt circuit over and normally obscuring the View of said target surface, and adapted to be violently discharged from such position upon the disruptio of the fuse-link.

4. A fuse indicator comprising an indicator-wire and means adapted to cause a definite portion thereof to be most highly heated by the passage of current therethrough, in combination with a screen immediately adjacent to said definite portion and adapted to be expelled by the force of the disrupted gases of said indicator wire.

5. A fuse indicator comprising an indicator-wire and means for dissipating the heat in certain portions thereof at a greater rate than at another portion thereof. in combination with a screen supported by said wire adjacent to the portion from which the heat is least dissipated and adapted to be expelled by the disrupted gases thereof.

6. A fuse indicator comprising an indicator wire and means for partially inclosing the same, in combination with a screen covering a portion but not all of the uninclosed' 8. A fuse indicator comprising a ejoaeee chargeable signal device on the central portion of said 'wire covering a part thereof whereby a certain section of said wire adjacent said device is exposed to the atmosphere. I part provided with a target surface of distinctive appearance, an indicator-wire and a dischargeable member thereon normally overlying and obscuring said target surface, in

combination with means for inclo'sing portions' of said wire not member.

5 9. An inclosed'indicating fuse comprising a fuse-link, inclosing means therefor and an indicator-wire, in combination with a flat disk-like member secured by .said wire upon and parallel to said inclosin'g means and adapted to be discharged from such position. U

10. In an inciosed fuse, having a fuse cas ing and fuse-link inclosed therein, an' indieating means ing and an indicator wire, in combination with a signal device overlying the label and adapted to be separated therefrom by the disruption of said wire.

v11. lnan inclosed fuse'having a fusecasing and fuse-link therein,

vided with a portion adapted toiserve as a target and an indicator-wire passing over said portion, in combination with ascreen on said wire normally overlying said. target surface and adapted to be discharged or removed therefrom upon the disruption of said indicator-wire.

12. In an inclosed fuse, a fuse casing containing a fuse-link and provided with fine apertures in its wall adapted to receive an indicator-wire, in combination with a label applied to said casing over the said apertures normally and a dischargeable screen member rnclosmg overlying a'portion of-the fusemeans. v v

13. A fuse indicator for inclosed fuses comprising a label, an indicator-Wire with a portion overlying a part of said label and means for inclosing the remainder of said wire, in combination with a signal device attached to, but not completely covering, the said overlying part of the indicator-wire.

14. A fuse indicator for' inclosed 'fuses comprisinga label with a slit in it and an lndicator-wlre passing through said slit and having portions respectively beneath and above parts of said label. p

15. A fuse indicator for inclosed fuses the slit in the label coveredby said comprising a label on the cas-.

an indicating I means comprising a label-on the casing prolabel and over the flap andascreen on said Wire obscuring a portion at least of said fia 17. A fuse indicator fhr inclosed fuses comprising a slitted label provided with a target surface of distinctive appearance thereon, an indicator-wire passing through and over said target surface and a screen on said'wire overlying the said surface.

18. In an inclosed fuse having a fuse casing and fuse-link therein, an indicating means comprising a slitted label provided with a target surface and mounted on the ens-- ing, and an indicator-wire passing through tl1e slit in said label and over said target surface, in combination ried by said wire overlyin ,saidsurface.

19. A fuse indicator or inclosed fuses comprising a support, an indicator-wire thereon, ing a disk of paper mounted on the wire adjacent said support and adapted to be discharged therefrom by the disruption of said-wire. a 7 v 20. A fuse indicator for inclosed fuses comprising a casing, an indicator-Wireand a signal device on said wire composed of two layers of sheet with the wire between them and-exposed to view on the outside of said casing.

21. A fuse. indicator for comprising a label anda target surface adjacent thereto, a screen separate from said label for covering the target and havin a with" a-screen car- 8,5 and a visual signal device comprismaterial secured together .5

inclosed fuses general appearance similar to that of the adjacent portions of the label and means for permitting the the blowing of the fuse.

22.. A fuse indicator for inclosed fuses comprising a label having a target surface within its margins and a screen 'member separate from said label,

removal of said screen upon to that label, incombination with associated with said screen-and ada ted normally to support the same in its sai position.

In testimony whereof, I-have signed my name to the specification in the presence of two. subscribihg witnesses. v I ROBERT C. COLE.

of the surrounding portions of the Witnesses:'

ARTHUR B. PECK, JOHN S. F ITZSIMMQNS.

normally covering the target and having an appearance similar an indicator-wire 

